Freezing mechanism



' Eugenio 71- W) berry PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

Hobent 'JI 176 R. A. DEWSBERRY. FREEZING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 16 1903 .m'tneases;-

rney

1 from a common source of power.

UNITED STATES Patented September 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREEZING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,357, datedSeptember 20, 1904.

Application filed November 16, 1903. Serial No. 181,365. I (No model.)

To all whom it bury concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERTA. DEWSBERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Freezing Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to mechanism for freezing or congealing cream orother fluids wherein the refrigerant or freezing medium is prepared anddelivered to the freezing mechanism by a cooperating device which,together with the freezing mechanism, is driven My invention finds aspecial utility in icecream freezers in which ice is employed as arefrigerant and wherein the ice is broken up or subdivided to facilitatepacking of the same around a can or chamber containing the material tobe frozen.

In the process of ice-cream manufacture the general practice has been toprovide a subdividing mechanism consisting of a separate machine whereinthe ice could be broken up or subdivided and conveyed to the ice-tub ofthe freezer to act as a refrigerant in congealing the cream.

My invention contemplates a unitary structure embracing in a singleapparatus a device capable of preparing and delivering the refrigerantto the ice-tub of the freezer and a device for the purpose of freezingice-cream or other fluids. The first cost of the mechanism is therebynot only reduced, but economy is also effected in space and shaftingwhich would be necessary to operate separate mechanisms In themanufacture of a confection of this nature many tons of ice have to betransported from the ice-breaker or subdivid-' ing mechanism to thefreezers during each process of freezing, involving labor and expensewhich by means of this construction is materially reduced.

The mechanism for preparing the refrigerant used in the freezer consistsof a subdivida rotary subdivider located adjacent to and cooperatingwith the ice receptacle. Said ice-receptacle is desirably irregular inform, the walls thereof being constructed to present to the ice in bulkendwise-converging surfaces from a flaring mouth or inlet-opening to acontracted outlet-opening, which construction operates to hold the icein engagement with the subdivider as said ice is gradually decreased insize. The receptacle is desirably located closely adjacent to thesubdivider, the upper wall of the receptacle being curved to conform tothe peripheral contour of said subdivider, while the lower wall is inoperative proximity to the working face thereof. That portion of thereceptacle facing the subdivider is desirably entirely exposed thereto,providing an engagement between the ice and said subdivider throughoutthe entire length of the receptacle. The cooperating member of saidreceptacle in the preferred construction consists of an actuated rotarysubdivider having upon its working face a plurality of projections orfingers adapted for engagement with the ice. The direction of rotationof the subdivid er is desirably in the direction of convergence of thereceptacle,which arrangement provides an effectual feed and preventsclogging of the ice. In the preferred construction suitable means areprovided whereby said ice is fed to the freezing mechanism from theice-receptacle after the ice has been subdivided. Said subdivider isdriven from a source of power common to the freezer mechanism and isdesirably operated by the operating-shafting thereof, the saidsubdivider being preferably mounted on a lever or belt-pulley. Inpreference to a clutch a fixed and loose pulley are employed, beingoperated by a driving-pulley and a power-belt from a suitablecounter-shaft. In practice it is usual to mount the fixed pulley, whichis subjected to the greatest strain, nearest the shaft-bearing, whilethe loose pulley, being subject to less strain, is usually mountedoutside the fixed pulley and farthest from the shaft-bearing. To thisend means are employed whereby said inner pulley may be either the fixedor loose pulley, thereby insuring the location of the subdivider uponthe pulley nearest the subdividing mechanism. Inasmuch as theprojections or fingers of the subdivider are located near the outerperiphery thereof, I desirably mount said subdivider on one of saidpulleys in preference to mounting the same on the operating-shaft.- Whenthe subdividing mechanism -is operated by the loose pulley, theoperation of preparing the refrigerant for the freezer precedes theprocess of freezing the fluids, and the subdividing mechanism remainsinactive during said freezing process, while if said mechanism isoperated by the fixed pulley the operation of the freezer andsubdividing mechanism will be simultaneous.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents in side elevation a deviceembodying the main features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewof the same on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4: 4 of Fig. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe different views.

My invention is shown in connection with an ice-cream freezer supportedupon a suitable frame having a base 1, on which the tub 2 rests, and astandard 3, adapted to form a bearing for operative parts of the device,constituting therefor a unitary structure. The tub 2 is provided with afreezing chamber or can and a dasher (not shown) operated on verticaloppositely-rotatingshafts 4 and 5, respectively, by miter-gears 6 and 7,which are driven by a gear 8, desirably mounted on the main drive-shaft9 of the freezer. Said shaft 9 is mounted on the standard 3 of the framein a horizontal bearing 10, near the upper end thereof. A fixed andloose pulley 11 and 12, respectively, are mounted on said drive-shaft 9remote from the gear 8, which pulleys cooperate with the overheaddrivingpulley 13 by means of a belt 14, which is shiftable on the upperpulley 13 and lower pulleys 11 and 12 by a shifting device of familiarform. An ice-receptacle 15 is mounted on the standard 3, preferably bysuitable brackets 16, which afford said receptacle a rigid support. Thereceptacle 15 is desirably of irregular contour, having at one end aflaring mouth or inlet-opening adapted to receive the ice in bulk and atthe other end a contracted outlet-opening from which the subdivided iceparticles are delivered to the tub 2 of the freezer. In the preferredconstruction the delivery of the ice from the receptacle 15 to the tub 2is effected by means of a trough 17,

inclined downwardly from the receptacle to cause the ice to be fed intothe tub. by gravity. Saidreceptacle 15 is preferablya three-walledstructure having a portion concentric with the subdivider 18, whichforms the upper and end walls of the receptacle, and a side and bottomwall converging from the mouth or inlet to the outlet-opening, thelatter of which communicates with oneend of the trough 17. Thisconstruction presents to the subdivider 18 an open side of thereceptacle equal to its greatest area, thereby permitting the subdividerto act as a feed by engaging the ice in bulk when it is first insertedand gradually reducing the same into small particles as it approachesthe contracted portion of the receptacle. It will be noted that theconvergence of the receptacle is in the direction of rotation of thesubdivider.

The actuated subdivider 18, which is preferably in the form of a disk,is located adjacent to the open face of the receptacle 15, a segment orportion of the working face of the subdivider being always inclosed bythe receptacle to act upon the ice. Said subdivider 18 is desirablyprovided on its working face with integral projecting pointed fingers19, arranged preferablyin two circular rows concentric with the maindrive-shaft 9, said fingers being shown staggered with respect to eachother and having their points projecting in the direction of rotation'ofthe subdivider. A working clearance is provided between the face of thesubdivider 18 and the projecting edge of the lower wall of thereceptacle 15, the clearance of the overhanging upper wall beingsufficient to prevent engagement between the operative and non-operativemembers of the device, at the same time preventing particles of ice fromescaping from the receptacle except by way of the trough 17. Notches areprovided in the lower wall of the receptacle to permit the passage ofthe projecting fingers 19 of the rotary subdivider. Said subdivider inthepreferred embodiment is shown mounted on a belt-pulley constitutingone member or a belt-shifting device, whereby the freezer may be stoppedor started without affecting the driving mechanism. It is a generalpractice to mount the fixed pulley adjacent the bearing of theoperating-shafting to which said pulley is secured. To this end Idesirably secure the subdivider to the fixed pulley 11, which isadjacent the receptacle 15; but provision is made whereby the innerpulley may be used as the loose pulley and the outer pulley maybe usedas the fixed pulley, thereby altering the arrangement of said pulleys toaccommodate desired changes without reversing the location of saidpulleys. To this end I provide the hubs of each pulley with aperturesadapted to receive set-screws 20, which engage the main shaft 9. I donot wish to be limited to the use of a single operating-shafting. Idesirably provide one of said pulleys with integral projecting fas-vtening-lugs 21, which are of a length to bring the outer faces thereofflush with the rim of said pulleys. Said lugs are preferably located onthe arms of said pulley and are provided with threaded apertures adaptedto receive bolts 22, passing through apertures in the subdivider,whereby the same is firmly anchored to said pulley, the face thereofbearing against the face of the lugs and the rim of the pulley.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism comprising a stationary ice-receptacle servingto receive the ice and having inlet and outlet openings, the walls ofsaid receptacle converging from said inlet to said outlet opening and arotary subdivider having projecting fingers on the working face thereofserving to engage said ice to subdivide the same, the rotation of saidsubdivider being in the direction of convergence of saidreceptacle-walls, of a freezing or congealing mechanism, a troughconnected with said ice-receptacle and serving to carry said ice to thefreezing mechanism, and operating-shafting common to said subdividingmechanism, and freezing mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism comprising a stationary ice-receptacle adaptedto receive the ice and having inlet and outlet openings and a rotarysubdivider having projections on the working face thereof adapted toengage said ice to subdivide the same, of a freezing mechanism,operatingshafting common to said freezing mechanism and subdividingmechanism, a pulley rigidly mounted on said shafting serving to carrysaid subdivider, and a trough leading from said receptacle to saidfreezing mechanism and serving to deliver said ice thereto,substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism comprising a stationary ice-receptacle servingto receive said ice and a rotary subdivider having projections adaptedto engage said ice to subdivide the same, of a freezing mechanism towhich said ice is fed, operatingshafting common to said freezingmechanism and subdividing mechanism, and mechanism mounted on saidshafting and serving to carry said subdivider, substantially asdescribed.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism comprising an ice-receptacle adapted toreceive said ice and an actuated subdivider to engage the ice tosubdivide the same, of a freezing mechanism to which said ice is fed,and a single operating driving-shaft common to said subdividingmechanism and freezing mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism and a freezing mechanism cooperatingtherewith, of means whereby the ice is delivered from said receptacle tothe freezing mechanism, and operating-shafting common to saidsubdividing mechanism and freezing mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with a subdividing mechanism, comprising a receptacleserving to receive material to be subdivided and an actuated subdivideradapted to engage said material to subdivide the same, of a mechanismutilizing said material to which the same is fed, and operating-shaftingcommon to said mechanism and subdividing mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

7 In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism comprising an ice-receptacle adapted toreceive the ice and a rotary subdivider for engaging the ice tosubdivide the same, of a freezing mechanism, a trough for delivering theice from said receptacle to the freezing mechanism and asingleoperating-shaft common to said subdividing mechanism and freezingmechanism, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with anice-subdividing mechanism and a freezing mechanism cooperatingtherewith, of means .for delivering said ice from said subdividingmechanism to the freezing mechanism, and a single operating-shaft commonto said subdividing mechanism and freezing mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination in a unitarystructure with an ice-subdividing mechanism having an icereceptacleserving to receive the ice and a rotary disk or subdivider havingprojections on the working face thereof to engage the'ice to subdividethe same, of a freezing mechanism cooperating with said subdividingmechanism comprising an ice-tub adapted to inclose the ice and theoperating devices serving to effect the freezing of the fluids, a troughfor delivering said ice from the subdividingmechanism to the freezingmechanism, and a supporting-frame upon which said freezer, subdividingmechanism and trough are mounted, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination in a unitarystructure with an ice-subdividing mechanism having a coopcratingice-receptacle, of a freezing mechan ism cooperating with saidsubdividing mechanism, and a supporting-frame upon which said freezermechanism and subdividing mechanism are mounted, substantially asdescribed.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination in a unitarystructure With an ice-subdividing mechanism having a cooperatingice-receptacle, of a freezing mechanism cooperating with saidsubdividing mechanism, a supporting-frame upon Which said freezingmechanism and subdividing mechanism are mounted, and a driving-shaftcommon I0 to said subdividing and freezing mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of October,A. D. 1903. ROBERT A. DEWSBERRY. Witnesses:

GEORGE L. ORAGG, CARL H. CRAWFORD.

